CASTINE, Maine – Senior Rob Coloutti came up with some big free throws and a clutch steal in the final minute to lift Castleton to a 56-54 victory over Maine Maritime on the road Saturday afternoon. 

Coloutti buried a pair of free throws with 2:40 remaining to give the Spartans a 55-54 lead. The score remained the same over the next two minutes though Castleton turned the ball over with 8.1 seconds left to give Maritime a chance to take back the lead. However, Coloutti stole the ensuing inbounds pass and was fouled with 5.9 seconds remaining. The senior made his first free throw for a two-point advantage and missed the second, but Maritime couldn't capitalize as the Spartans earned the two-point win. 

Castleton finished the game at 38.8 percent shooting and was an impressive 9-for-18 from beyond the arc as the team improved to 6-11 and 5-5 in the North Atlantic Conference. The Mariners dropped to 3-13 and 2-7 in conference play, after shooting 37.0 percent but went just 6 of 23 from downtown. 

Two players scored in double figures, led by Coloutti with 15 points, eight rebounds and two assists. Tyler Arsenault added a career-best ten points and five rebounds while Pavin Parrish chipped in six points, seven rebounds and two assists. Casey McGraw dished off a career-best six assists. 

Brendan Newcomb was the only Maritime player in double figures as he made six triples for 18 points and two rebounds. Dylan Price added nine points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals. 

Both teams traded baskets through the first five minutes of action, before a 6-0 spurt by the Spartans gave them a 13-10 lead at 12:27. The contest remained close until Coloutti connected on a three for a 22-17 advantage with 8:01 left. It was quickly followed by a triple from Arsenault and a jumper from Coloutti to increase the lead to ten points with 6:54 left. Maritime managed to close the gap to seven points in the last two minutes, but threes from Horton and Arsenault put Castleton in front 35-22 at the break. 

Three minutes into the second half the Mariners closed the gap to ten points, 39-29. They then used a 10-2 run to trim the deficit to 41-39 with 12:35 left. Maritime eventually tied the game at 41 apiece, but Castleton pulled back in front, and a pair of free throws by Coloutti with 6:25 remaining made it a six-point game, 50-44. 

Newcomb's hot shooting kept Maritime in the game, and after trading threes with Edmund Fitzgerald, he connected on another with 3:55 left to make it 53-52. Tyler Gilson then put the Mariners in front on a jumper 30 seconds later. Coloutti followed with a pair of free throws to grab back the lead, 55-54, setting up the final minutes of action. 

The Spartans return to action on Saturday when they host Green Mountain at 3 pm.